Automotive vehicles require a power train to transmit the force of an engine to the wheels of the vehicle. The power train's main component is typically referred to as the transmission. The transmission converts engine speed and torque in accordance with the tractive-power demand of the vehicle. Transmissions are generally, either manually or automatically actuated. Manual transmissions generally include mechanical mechanisms for coupling rotating gears to produce different ratio outputs to drive the wheels. Automatic transmissions are designed to take automatic control of the frictional units, gear ratio selection and gear shifting.
Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions are generally easier to operate with a gear selection process generally adapted to favor fuel economy and smooth shifts. However, some drivers may favor the more aggressive performance and feel of a manual transmission in exchange for lower fuel economy.
The present invention is aimed at overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.